


Afternoon off

by sopheria



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-12
Updated: 2012-06-12
Packaged: 2017-11-07 14:07:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/431998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sopheria/pseuds/sopheria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ty Lee wants a day off, and it ends up being really fun to hang with her friends and make fun of boys, but it surprises her that they can get Katara and Toph to actually tell stories too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afternoon off

Sometimes taking a break seemed like a chore, but as soon as she was alone Ty Lee felt as if a weight was lifted from her shoulders. She relaxed her face from it's plastered smile and undid her hair to brush it. Just sitting on her bed made her feel as if she were putting down a large unwieldy weight. After her hair was brushed Ty lee lay in her bed and stared at the ceiling of her cramped tent, letting her mind drift. She sort of missed her friends, Mai and Azula. Azula was always tense, but when they were alone together as friends she always let herself have fun and stop thinking about all those expectations. Mai sometimes smiled genuinely when they all talked together in school after hours. Ty lee stretches in her bed, and closes her eyes. Her joints ache a little, but she thinks it might be worth it to get away from the circus atmosphere, maybe just until the next show. She massages her shoulders and wiggles her toes thinking about the stream nearby and it's not hot enough in the season for a swim, but maybe she can risk it anyway.

Ty Lee slowly rebraids her hair and peeks out the flap of her tent to make sure no one sees her, and as she starts to leave she hears a voice off to her right.

“Glad to see that you're up and about again Ty Lee” and she smiles for real as she turns to face Azula and Mai. Mai looks like she's just come from one of her family's patented “family vacations” where she sits and stares into space for three days, so she's slouching and smirking and Azula's eyes are bright with mischeif. “Hi guys! I was just thinking about you? What's the plan for today?” Mai and Azula look at each other and then to Ty Lee.

“What do you say we make tracks to see how some of our old classmates are?” Azula says and Ty Lee knows what she means. She knows and she's okay with what Azula is suggesting this time. It feels sort of mean to drop in so unexpectedly, but if she tells herself that they are only going to see how people are and the rest was coincidence maybe that won't make her feel so guilty later on for sneaking away to mess up people's day.

“I say we find our group of Avatar friends and pay them a good afternoon visit.” Mai says and Azula's eyes sparkle with glee. Ty Lee sorta likes the avatar group-especially Katara, but it would be sorta fun to rattle the boys up, especially if Zuko is with them. They don't have to sneak away, since Azula has a carriage with her, but it still feels like she's cheating or something. As soon as they get on the open road , though her guilt fades away and Just like that they are laughing together like old times. Mai tells them stories of how she taught her brother to pick his nose only at dinner and Azula recounts how Zuko yelled into the rain repeatedly.

“It was so ridiculous! More than the time with the frog!” They cackle mercilessly and Ty Lee doesn't feel bad at all for making fun of Zuko when he makes it so easy.

Ty Lee ends up laughing so hard that she can feel tears pricking her eyes. By the time they find the Avatar group they have to compose themselves. Katara is the only one at the camp and Azula beckons the carriage to stop so that they can walk on feet to her. Katara forms a defensive stance when they approach, but Azula puts her hands up to stop her from attacking.

“We're not here to fight you today, especially if the dumber ones are gone.” Azula says and Katara's face twitches as if she is suppressing a laugh. 

“What do you want?” She says, not moving and Ty Lee doesn't want to fight now, since they've been having so much fun..

“We want to talk.” Azula says and Mai smirks again, looking at Katara as if she is about to spill a secret. “We wanted to ask if Zuko still talks to himself.” Ty Lee can't help but to laugh and then Azula and Mai join in. Katara looks confused and drops her stance. 

“I don't know if I should be afraid or angry.” She says and Azula sighs. 

“I told you, we're not here to fight you. We were just telling some hilarious stories and was wondering if you had any more about Zuko talking to himself, animals, rocks, you know-that sort of thing.” Katara frowns and looks at them as if they have come from the moon.

“You're our enemy!” She yells frustrated. 

“I've got one!” A voice calls and Katara jumps and see's their other friend Toph. Ty Lee really thinks Toph is cool, and if things were different maybe. Maybe she shouldn't finish that thought.

“Toph! What are you doing? They are our enemy. They could attack at any time.” She gestures a little at them for emphasis and Ty Lee thinks about the ember island play a little and tries not to make any sounds.

“Well we could probably take them on, if they were gonna attack, they'd just do it. And anyway the boys and appa aren't that far.” Katara mumbles somehting under her breath but she sits on their blankets and Toph comes from the rock pile she was under for shade.

“Okay so, once he and Aang were trying to firebend...”

An hour later Katara is telling stories about Aang getting shown up and they've all got a Sokka story to top one another. Ty Lee wonders why the heck they have to fight each other, thinks about adults and once again forgets they exist as they talk about snoring, farting and midnight snack runs.

“Well this was fun.” Azula says as they get ready to leave and Katara's eyes size them up again, still a little wary.

“Why did you come here today?” She says and Toph sighs in resignation. Ty Lee is curious herself to see what Azula will say.

“Well we just happened to be sneaking away from responsibility for a little while and started talking about the dumb things boys do when they think themselves alone, and I thought you might have something to share. That's all.” It's the surprising truth and even Mai's eyebrows raise a little.

“I don't believe you.” Katara says, but she doesn't get up, Azula starts to walk off though and so does Mai. Ty Lee smiles at them before she turns “We aren't lying, but next time we meet won't be so friendly.” She warns as they head back to the boring world of politics and the heavy weight of responsibilities.


End file.
